Rudder



Jan' l, 1946., J. LIVINGSTON RUDDER 4 sneeis-shet 2 Filed July 9, 1943 INVENTOR I JOHN 'L/V/A/G ORNEYS,

,Jan. 1, 1946. J. LlVINGSTbN RUDDER 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 9, 1943 INVENTOR L/OH/V L/w/vcsr Patented Jan. 1, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RUDDER 4 J ohn Livingston, Pelham Manor, N. Y.

Application July 9, 1943,5erialNo. 493,985

. 12 Claims.

of the pivotal axis, are substantially symmetricalwith the fore-and-aft rudderaxis at top and bottom respectively but flare divergently rearward. and from top and bottom to a maximum at the median. horizontal plane in line with the propeller axis. A rudder. of. this general type, in the form of a balanced rudder, is shown and de-- scribed in my U. S. application for patent, Serial No. 412,533, filed September 2'7, 1941, Patent No. 2,331,706, of which the present application is a continuation in pm- The construction forming the subject matter of my present application for patent is in most respects better suited for pivotal mountin substantially at its leading edge and aft of guide vanes fixedly mounted. at the stern.

of the ship. a r 7 Important objects of the invention are to provide a rudder construction of great. strength, while being of comparatively light weight and low cost and capable of being rapidly produced. At the same-time, the construction embodies features whichrender the rudder easy of access for repairs, and one which involves comparatively low maintenance cost, v

The invention will be described in detail .with reference to the details of construction shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is arear elevationalview of the rud der per so before mounting upon Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the rudder.

per se, with one of the side plates removed.

- Figures 3, 4 and are enlarged horizontal sectional views taken respectively on the lines 3-3, 4,4' and 55 of Figure 2. v Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken through. the pivotal connection between the rudder and the stern frame of a ship. V

Figures 7 and 8 are detail horizontal sectional views taken on the respective lines 1- -1 and 8'8 of Figure 6. Figure 9 is aside elevational view with parts broken-away in vertical section of a modified form of theinvention showing a rudder pivotally mounted to the stern frame of a ship.

' Figure lOis a slightly enlargedhorizontal sectional view taken on the line l0|ll of Figure 9. Figure 11 is a detail vertical sectional view on the line H-l| of Figure 9.

Referring to the drawings by reference. char acters, the numeral 1 designates in its entirety a rudder which is constructed largely-of welded sheet metal in the manneriset forth in my aforesaid application, Serial No. 412,533.. The rudder shown by way of example is of the fishtail type and designed for use with a right-handed propeller. It comprises a hollow upper body 2 and a hollow lower body 3, which bodies meet at the I plane of the propeller axis of the ship on which the rudder is to be pivotally mounted. The upper,

andlower rudder bodies 2 and 3 are of streamline shape in cross section and have'rounded leading edges-4 which are disposed in the same tom of the upper rudder body 2 and the top of the.

lower rudder body 3 fiare divergently from this median plane. The trailin surfaces 5 and 6 of rudder at its leading edge,

the upper rudder body meet 'to form a trailing edge 8 whichcurves downward andoutwardto.

starboard from said median plane. The trailing. surfaces 9 and ll) of the lower rudder body 3 meet to form'a trailing edge II which curvesupward and outward to a point offset to port from the median plane. The trailing surfaces are thus warped oppositely or divergently from the longitudinal vertical median plane of the rudder, and their proximate portions are offset from each other by the sum of their divergencie from this median plane, A web l2 joins andextends be-. tween these relativelyofiset portions, to segregate-the upper and, lower portions of the propeller stream... 'Y

structurally, the rudder I includes a lower rudder stock in the form of 'a length of steel pipe ortube. l3 of a diameter, which predetermines the thickness'lof the leadingedge 4, and which is of a length shorter than, the height of the rudder to provide, shouldered orstepped corners B and C respectively, adjacent the top and bottom of the The pivotal axis AA extends through the axis of the tube I3. Each hollow rudder bodyZ. and 3 includes suitably-shaped opposed sheet metal side plates I4--l4- which have their front edges welded to opposed sides of the tube 13 as at l5l5, the rear edges thereof being, for example, welded at l6 ;;to a fiat-metalbar I1 'to formthetrailing edges li and H. The to-pof the'fupper rudderv bodyyz islclosedb y. a top plate l8, andthe bot-..

' reat era's;

in spaced relation within the hollow rudder bodies are welded to the side plates and to the tube 13 and cooperate with a vertical transverse metal diaphragrgi 2 2 and rnetal flanges 23 119 transmit the torque; n rigidly *re'enforce the srde pleze's against collapse.

Fixedly mounted to the rudder I at the top and bottom corner shoulders B and C are corner fi tings 24' and 25 respectively. The top fitting Z4 V t3 toal r-ovide a ledge surface for the top ate, l8 towhich the. top; plate 'is welded as A H tegralwith the web 21' and extending" therefrom is a lq eonfiz and. aspacjed viper ridof the. well 2 T and. is. provided with 6011 34: The collar 34 is" concenoi theipivotallaxis A-';A and of a diameter ugly fit intoi'thegt'opof'the tube l3 towhich secured by welding 351. The flange .33 is dJJwithLam-aperture 3,6 which admits a I bar during-manufacture.an d;is closed by vgIdinIea; metal platei3'1, to. the top face of s co centric m1 thei pivot'al axis A-A in v Lisheld in pIace.h .ashou1der'40 at the eiaendlof the. bore and by wielding a retainniga'illon theitbp facjeofthe gudgeon 32 in overlapping'reljation to the top 'end of the sle flushing, The retaining ring. is not ap-v v o jtlie sterfn, frame vF of the ship, and stern frame is fragnientarily shown in the Th igstern fra'meFi includes a gudgeon 1, a downwardly-tapered bore'i43 which I 'callly"aline'dwiththebore 3 8. A pintle' 4541i. f je 1y; contracts filh corner fi t n 24 w the gudgeon 42 of the stern 'framejrjsaidf, Dintle a. uniform cylindrical upperportion '45, a

' .lyetanerine termedia e p r i n cede W?! threaded shank portion 41. portion is nclosed' by a brass; :cap hich .i id s ose ri th n chiefhe?bushin s xt below ri nfllandffit ing the 'a is 1 be gash L4 9 which encircles;the;pintle44. The

' of the. l 'd geon dz isv recessed to acthe gasket 1'49 andlower end of the up. "Theta'pered; portion 46 of the pintle ifsjf. se tedin the taperedborefit of the-gudgeon fl. with'the threaded shank 41" extending below theiplafie of the underface; of the --gudgeon. A nu 50 is threadedto the shank 41 "and" is" held e ams hacki g; f 5 by; Q T 1 which passes ans ly thr u h; the sh k: e shag which; the nut 5951s disposed is enclosed 1 substantially horseshoe shaped metal plate 7 has"its;'r unde'd' portion concentric to etal axis A T'helower edge of the 52 restsupon ;a shouldered led e 53- of the 133t whichit isweldedas -at;54. The} errdsiof f the plate :52 seat against the shouldered portions 55 provided at the sides of the-web: 2 1 W rewel' e as' tfifia iwericernerynttiq za:in l ae a t wb if? having n upper forwardly-e t g brasss'leeve bushing 3911s mounted and dsuntir'aiter ,the..rudder has beenvposition ed flange 58 and a lower gudgeon 59. The top face aperture 62 which is closedrby welding a, disk plate 63 to the under face of the flange 58. The

gsealing of the apertures 36 and 62 by welding plates thereover, and the welding of the top and bottom-ends otthe tube l3 to the alined confronting fiangese33 and 58, provide vwater-tight lower cylindrical portion'f69 of'a'pintle 10", said portion being: enclosedirr afcap bushing 11'." 'Thepintlell'of further" includes; aniupwardl'yetapered intermediate portion '12 -which seats in the e e eidi bq t an a? red d. threadedashan portion?! 3 which extends: beyondthe top'of the".

euue n. 5 and' e vsia. 1 N Am r" 9 T a-p se nsver ely :t pus th h e eamen o pr vn ie ei 'en ali b kin ofisvfi'the dutjfronr t-h'e threade'dlshank. The-space be tween the fiange*'58' and-gu'dgeon 59 is seale'd by' a substantially horseshoe-shaped plate-P52 "thebottom edge off which rests upon' and is welded at-Bdrr toitheuppe'r face: of the gudgeon 59,-while V the?top edgefthereof j is; seated; against-a shouldered surface onthe'flange Stand welded thereto a pjecb; The en'ds ;of; the plate 5; arewelded af -156w tqtr b dy 1 fi i j T e Plate 52" seals the space within which the nut 14? is disposed. The vupper end eff-thebushingf 1 1 an 4-5 tends into" a recess; in the underside of the gude'eonBQ}; fA rubb'er gasket 16 is also disposed in the aforernentione'd -recess 'in-salinengage inept fwith-th'wal s ereef a withtlie'pintle The underside of the fitting 25 is provided with a shouldered surfaee 'l to receive the front-end 0f the Bottom-plate to "which the-plate is;

I lower riidaer--beey e are welded at 29a to the shouldered surface providedon:the sids ofthe body 57 offthefit'ting 25 "The weldihg'of' the pla ts the r udderLat:theirjoinderizvith sltroul V water-tight joints to prevent water from erim 1 is next inserted intothe bearing tho-re: 6.5.1 of

in'th tapered 'bore43 of the gudgeon42. The

nut 50 is applied 'to the'threadedshank of the.

pintle 43, thus clamping the .pintle and gudgeon together.. The upper cylindrical portion 45 of the pintle 43 is disposed in the cylindrical bore 38 of the gudgeon 32; The rudder is now hingedly supported upon thestern frame. ,To complete the mounting operation, it remains only to weld the horseshoe-Shaped platesr52and 52' in position "to house the nuts 50 and 14 and to close the space between the fianges .33 and 58 and the respective 'gudgeons 42 and 59.

From the foregoing description',' it will be apparent that the rudder I will freely swing upon the pivotal axis AA which passes throughfthe vertically-alined pintles 44 and '10.? .Also, the comerfittings although relatively light in weight are sufficiently strong to withstand the stresses imparted thereto during use, and they cooperate with the tubular rudder stock to effect aeontinuousreenforcement along the entire height of the leading edge of the rudder. The gudgeon and .pivotal mountings are of such construction asto enable the rapid shippingof the rudder and. its subsequent unshipping .for repair or' re-..

placement purposes. l

In Figures 9 to 11 inc1usive,-there is illustrated a modified form-of thecorner fittings. In the previous construction hereinbefore described, the corner fittings 24 and 25 are cast in one piece, but each may be formed as alweldment' in a-manner now to be described. l

Referencecharacters heretofore used to designate the various parts of the invention are employed inFigures 9 to 11 inclusive, to indicate corresponding parts. a

The-upper and lower corner fittings in Figures 9 to" 11 inclusive are designated in their. respective entireties by the reference characters 24a and 25a. The upper fitting 24a has a rightangle flange section 28a. The'horizontal portion of the flange section 28a has the flange 80 of the upper rudder stock 8| bolted thereto as at 19. A gudgeon 3211 has its top face welded at '82'to' the vertical portion of the section 28a, While the underface of the gudgeon 32a is welded. at 83 to the top of the vertical web of an L-shaped section 21a. The section 2'Ia includes a -flange33d to which the upper'end of the tube I3 is welded. A central web 29a is welded totheinner side of the sections 28a as at84'.-

- Thecomer fitting 25a comprises alower flange 59a to the top face of which is welded, at 85, the bottom of an inverted L'-shaped section 51a. The section 51a includes flange 58a which corresponds-to the flange '58 to underlie and close the bottom end of the'tube l3.

The corner fittings 24a and 25a the fittings 24 and 25 only in the fact that they are constructed as weldments. The functions of the fittings 24a and 25a. are the same as the fittings 24 and 25,"respectively, so that a'further explanation thereof is not believed necessary.

' fn myps't'ent hereinbefo're referred liq-mercader'pfoper has leading surfaces shaped to offer minimum resistance to the propeller stream. 'Figur'es'9and 11 embody this same'principle in a somewhat difi'erentiorm; instead of being em-' bodied in the rudder, it is embodied in'guide vanes mounted rigidly on the stern frame F forward of the leading edge 40f the rudder Lf The guide v e. str ql u ieisdesigiiated 90 in its entirety and includes an upper guide vane section 9| and a lower guide vane section 92, which meet on the differ from guide the streams to the respective upper and lower rudder bodies 2 and 3 of the rudder. The

guide vane has its lower end welded'to the upper surface 93 of the shoe of the stern'frame F, while the top of the guide vane is welded to an overhanging portion 94 formed on the frame F adjacent the'gudgeon 42. Each of the guide vane sections 91 and 92 includes a leading edge defined by a pipe 95' which is' offset to'one side of 'the' pivotal axis A-A of the rudder l. The pipe95 ofthe upper guidevane 9! is disposed in offset position to port and the pipe 95 of the lower guide vane is offset to starboard, as best illustrated in FigurelO. Rearwardly diverging side plates-9B and 9'1 have their front edges weldedto the-pipe 95 "while their rear edges terminate forward of the sides of tube I3 of the rudder to'approximate a continuation of the streamlining of the rudderg'lhe plates 96 and 97 are held in rigid spaced-J apart'relation by spaced horizontal diaphragm; plates 98, whichconform to the cross-sect'ionaL shape of the vane section and are welded to the side plates thereof. The vane section is further' braced by vertical diaphragm plates 99 which are disposed adjacent the rear edges of the side'plats.

96 and 91 to which they too are welded; 1A segregating web I00 joins the upper and'lowerguide: vane sections 9| and 92 and is in 'alinement with the propeller axis of the ship. It is understood that the partof the propeller. stream striking the leading edge of theguide vane'just above thepros peller axis has a decided inclination'to starboard, while the part of the propeller streamstriking'the leading edge just below the propeller axis is correspondingly inclined to port.

lowed to pass incontact with each other. The web I00 prevents such contact of the two parts of the propeller stream and'allows them to: now. smoothly past each other along their respective paths, and guides them past the. respective upper and lower bodies 2 and 3 of the rudder l.

The particular arrangement of the pintles -with respect to the pintle gudgeonsyof the rudderand.

the stern frame'of the 'shipmay, ofcourse, be

varied withoutdeparting from the principles of. the invention Thus, instead of having theta- 1. A ships rudder havin upper and lower corner fittings fixedly mounted therein,'and a tu bular lowerrudder stock extending between said corner fittings, said corner fittings being connected in torque-transmittingrelation to the respective ends of said rudder stock and having pintle-gudgeon portions in axial alinement withea'ch other. I

2. A ships rudder having along its leading same horizontal plane as the web I! which con nects the upperand lower rudder bodies 2 and? I already described. The guide vane sections 91' and 92 are similar in construction, but their crosssectional contours are reversely arrangedto conform with the propellerstream above and below the horizontal axis of the ships propeller, and. to

These two ad-;-. jacent parts of the propeller stream, therefore,. have crossing directions of fiowwhich would'result in considerable turbulence if, they were 9.1-"

1 time disposed inaxialalinemenaw h saidrudder: tsnpckhp 4 r i3;:Ashipsrudderha ling;stepped'fioleand bots-e l der at: theres ctive top and bottonr'leadih 0 ton1 connars atv itsleadineiedee Latu ularlewes rudder stock extending-,alongrthaleadina e ee fi ends ofzthesaid-rudder stock;-

fixedly -secured to the top leading 'cdrne of th hi i t 0f;: the rudder witnrij: eendsteier minatmgshortaofithatfineandgbettom thei-iruwzlii and-upper: and: lower corneivifittingsaweltied saidece er fit n s havina nmdejeud eon: 11

the enudder havingiits; ends terminating; adiacent; thewespective; stepped'acorne ia; pfi s d: QW Ir corner; fittings fixedly secured in: the saidgto,

en a ing;- fiange p t ons ini't rquse-tra mittines engagemenbf Withthe respective-top; and; A jttomr 4'. A;- shipfs rudder as set forth in: claim 3;

which; thei up'per? corner fitting'is. providedg with? a? fiat horizontal; rudder coupling" flange: extending laterallyibeyond the sidesqof the rudder, and an i, I upper iludder' Stock! a rudder? l' n 2s'sstern-rrame disposed above, and be1ow-the-upper= ba'seris seated on; an'dwbolted to said; rudderrcou g piing-flang'e for; fixedly; securing the uppenrudder; stoclstotherudder;

5.5: A; sh'ipsi rudder: asl'set forth, in claim 3;, in;

p r o a e-eases?- o 1 e l eiastebmamower ruddercstoclg ofiez lei'rgth-zles'sr lowT'i" cdfnerfittings 150"8363'1157? aline said stelzn 7 frame? gudgeic'ms and-:saidifiudder stock;

combination, aT Ship smternfrarfie have; ing dpper-anddower pintie: gudge0ns=,1ashin szrud-:

V onithearesneqti'vtezendsaofvsaidiruddelfstnckslime derc haxningtatubul'ar: lower rudder stock: along" tomand bettom lead n celfnersiofs hhttmdden-iv itscleadingz edge, the ends of! the rudder stocktef'minating? short of the: respective? planes or the; toir'andbottom edgesof. the'rudder,.- upper; and lower? corner fittings; fixediy: secured to: tl'ie-rud n'e'r edgesfoi the 'rudder, means'sor'i said upper and? lower fittings; in. tordueetransmittings engagement: with the topand bottom ends; ofsaid-rudder stock; and upper-= and lower hingQ-pintle means and respectivelyconnecting. the upper corner; fittingr. 1 bottom stepped cornersand provided withax ally a1ined pintle gudee0nt'llflfliOHS: d rudderis ocka tossaidupper pint-lei gudg'eon: andithe lower core" nferi' fitting to; said lower: pintle gudgeon, said:

hinge pintle' meansbeinggini axiah alinement' Withe: thesaxisxofisaidrudderstock; v I 9;, In. combination;. a: ships stem frame; and; a

itssforwa-rdedge; and, upper'and lower corner-fit tings: rigidly: secured to said rudder stock and providing, hinge-pintle connections: with said and lower ends of the rudder stock-,the; axesof; the; pintl'e; connections 'being in axial; alinement with the axis of said rudder stock.

101 In combination;- a'shipsstern-frame;azrud which. the; stock-vengag-inaflangeshave: annular; der: havingits leading edge hinged: at; its top: and:-

shoulderseseatedrjinqandvwelded-tn:theends ofethej stockz: constituting; th leading;- edge thereofcb pnen and:lower en'dster ti :m: ea'chpther in theidirectioniof them-trailing edges}; short? of; the. top. and bottom of; the; rudder; ree; spectivelje; amuppencorner fitting im th'e:top;1ead:-J

ingzcomev of: the; rudder,-; havingi a: stockeenglagz-z ing-z flange:overlyingrandweldedto'itheiupperend: J

bottom to said stern frameiv-said-rudder comprisi-- ing upper and lower rudde-r bodies. joinedzto-s gether. at approximately the--, plane of: the? propeller axis; and:- graduali oifset with vrespect to;

a guide vane mounted in the stern-framezforwardof" and closely. adjacent: the; leading; edgemi the rudder said; guide vane I composed; of; upper: and? lower guide-vaneasections which meet; at, ap-

rsaidsrudder;stock:andza 'pintle-gudgeoirzflange 4mpr oximatelytherplaneof1the5propeller axis; each disposed; irev spaced; relation: above. said? stockaene. gaging flange; and formediwitht'aepintleigiudgepn';

imr.a;xial.aalinement with-the axis of saidzrudder" stock; and a; .lo'wenieorner: fitting-fin: thei'bottom leading'cornen or the rudder, havin gaging .fiange underlying; andrweldede the Iow eatendrofsaid ruddenzstoekcandi'arldwer pintl'elgudgeon .flan'ge' disposed; inispaced f relation.ibe;-.-

neath: said stock engagingf'flangeaanda'having a2;

rudder, said fitting including astock-edges V vane section'sii 11:A=shipis;rudder-construction--co r i 'pintleigudgeomin.axial;alinementtwitl fitheaxis i 5fl3combinati0n' side: pl tes (forming: a streamline-9' 1 of said rudders'stoclel o of*- said guide-vanesections: including-g sideplates forwardly converging; to; a; leading edge disposed;

ingofiset relation to t-he3leading: edge;- of the-rude;

d er; the cross-sectional contouraofthe -:upperfand-- istoclc en z 4d-lower guidefvane sectionssbeingireversed relative:

to; each other;andf aksegregating web; connecting; the ofiset portionseof thequhperfand lower guiderudder" bodygia. tubulari rudder. stock -withir 1. ;sa i d rudder body shorter in length than the he ghte ofgsaid rudder body corner'fittings securedsto the to'p; and bottom of saiditubular rudder stock and der stoek-alongdt's leading edge said riidder sto'e f horizontal-diaphragm pldtestwelded at spaced in;

tervals. topsaid1tubulari-rudderjstock andvahutting;

the-inner surfaceof -andwelded 110 said side platesv along lines conforming lt -thelcontours;oftheyiidq den bodyiat their; respective-levels; said-corner riaaga overlying and fixedly seeuredrte tnetpg fittings'nnoyided with means" for: pivotal attach+ ofthe said rudder-stock; an upper--pintle-.gudgeon V j flange dispesed in- Slfiaced-f'tlMioh abbve 'saids' stock-engaging flangete' provld an-ilp 'erpfim gudgeon-in axial-alinement iw-i-t-- lie-arias said rudder steels; a-lwer eoiher-fitt'ifi'gdn v longitedinal med n, ygptigal p la ne gf the rqddr 1 ing a stock-engaging flange fitting agaiiist -the bottom of=-said rudder-stool? and fixedly secured thereto; a lowerpintie gudgeon fflange disposed in=-'spaced*relaiti'on' beneathysai'd stock-engaging flange toprovide a lower pintle-i gudgeon in 710; of tlg e hiorizont j axial:alinement-witlritheaxis o'fsaidi'rudder stock;

andmpper anddower: pifltlesldisposed in the'supfepen:amidower pintlesgudgennsiofitherstem time:

and in the pintle gudgeons of said unpehande I mentiofthedudder toth shipp 1 1;2.=A ship s rudders;of?unbalanced typecom-p prising? upper? and: lower: trailing surfaces; opgpositelwwarpedqandstransyerselwoffsetifromathe-i bove ndbelew g eri o tal :pl wftliefpme he-miter: ed es? Mather when and ower tr il e:s rfaceszbei ee u st t a lw paced; apart transver ely r m eaehr therrimthevicinity? 

